Model Forum / General / Railroads / December 2004

As a pratical description ABSOLUTELY!

Four hours late into Portland, 8 hours on a bus to catch the Empire
Builder in Spokane.  If we wanted to ride in cramped seats we could
have flown in 4 hours.

On the way back the toilets in our car failed near Minot.  The car
will not be fixed until it returns to Chicago(???).  The were putting
people in the car for the return ... geezzz!!!

The track from Spokane to Minneapolis alternated between nice smooth
welded rail (I'm guessing based on seeing uninstalled sections) and
track so bad that if it were modeled you probably couldn't keep any
modeled equipment on the track. We stopped on a siding to let a
BNSF freight pass and I could see a rail joint that had at least a
3 inch offset on the railhead.  The first time we hit one at speed
I thought we had derailed ... for second or so *>8-{.

Compared to the Empire Builder the Starlight is a nice train though.
Both trains in both directions were filled to capacity. The Starlight
was over booked Portland to Sacramento.  Some people were sleeping in
the Parlor Car.

Except for the bus ride and the toilets it was a great trip (we did get
a 60% rebate on the cost).

Hope all here had as great a holiday as we did.

Paul

What? No L?

Bob